Casing elevator



Jul 8. 1924. 1,500,459

v(5. KRELL CASING EL'EVATOR Filed Nov. 30. 1921 1N VEN'IUR *"A TTORNE YPatented July 8, 1924.

. To all whom-it may concern:

I UNHTEED sures.

GEORGE KRELL, or KANSAS mis'sou'm.

CASING ELEVATOR.

Application filed November :20, 1921; SerialNo. 518,797.

Be it known that I, GEORGE KRELL, a citizenof Germany, residing atKansas City,

in the county of Jackson and State of Mi'ssouri, U. S. A., have:invented certain new and useful Improvements in Casing Elevators; and'I'do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the inpart of this specification.

'1 ing well casing.

This invention relates to casing elevators that is, to an elevator forloweringor rais- One of the objects provide a durable, elficient andinexpensive construction which is adapted to grip the h body portion ofthe casing in a releasable manner in contra-distinction to those formsof elevators which suspend the casing's'from the collar or internallyoffset portions.

. It has generally beenthe practice to raise and lower oil well casingfor example, .by ring-shaped structures called. elevators which surroundthe casing or pipe and are of such diameters'that the "ofiset internallythreaded portions or collar at the end of the pipe which make the union,rest upon the elevator so that they carry the entire weight.

This method of lowering and hoisting oil iso well casing I have foundobjectionable for a number of reasons, chiefest of which is that thecollar sometimes becomes detached on account of the terrific weight ofthe suspended casing so that the entire casing is lost. There Lareotherminor objections which need not be. enumerated here. l

I have found that the casing can be releasably gripped in any point byproviding I gripping jaws constituting part of the elevator or casingand that this makes a-m'ore convenient and more easily workableconstruction.- I

The specific details of the device selected for illustrative purposeswill be apparent by reference to the following description in connectionwith the accompanying drawings,

in which Fig. 1 is a perspective viewof an elevator I constructed inaccordance with my invention gripping position. Normally, the jaws willand ap'pliedto a section of well casing.

Fig. -2 is an enlarged fragmentary per- SEQES'IVB View of the elevator.

of the invention is a Fig. 3 is 'a vertical, longitudinal, sectionalview through the same, showingits applica-. tion to a section of oilwell casing.

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view through the elevator and casing, and Y1 Fig. 5 is a detail view showing the latch forholding the .ring infi'xed relation with";

respect to the housing, and the drift pinfor liftingit. 1

1 esignates the outershell or housing, the inner faceof which isprovided with a circumferential shoulder 2 to support a rotatablejaw-actuating ring 3 having a radial lug or'projection 4, to which ispivoted an actuating lever The lug isprovided with a vertical slot 6- toreceive a latch or pawl -7 provided with a tooth 7 to en age theteeth 7"in the housing 1, and exten ing longitudinally of the lug 4 is a driftpin 8 aving an inclined portion 8' to slide against the inclined face 7"to lift itout of engagement with the teeth 7 as will be explainedhereinafter. I The lever 5, when in a horizontal positioii or nearly so,may be manually operated to impart a rotative movement to the ring 3;

The ring 3 is provided with a plurality of cam faces '9, 10 and 11,against which bear segmental jaws 12', 13 and -14,'the jawshaving"depending lugs 15 which are in radial I Slots '16 near the loweredge of the ring 1.

The. respective jaws are also provided with notched lugs or hook-shapedmembers 17, 18 and 19, which arein hooked and sliding engagement with.the cam flanges 20, 21 and 22 of the actuating ring 3 andthese jaws arealso provided: with upstanding lugs 15, which are adapted to slidablyengage the slots 16 in the coverplate 23 secured to the housing 1 bythebolts-24. The member 1 and its-cover plate constitute a housing-within which the actuating ring 3 and the jaws are confined andheldagainst longitudinal movement in one direction by the cover plate andagainst longitudinal movement in the other direction by the floorportion 25- in which the shoulder 2 and the slot, portions 16 areformed.

The lug 4 has its amplitude of movement limited by the slot 26 (seeFigs. 1 and 4 The inner faces of the jaws 12, 13 an 14 are prpyided withteeth 27, which may grip the casing 28 when the jaws are moved nto beretracted so that the spaces between them will be greatenth'an' thediameter of the Gas 30 and the floor portion 25 is provided with anopening 31, both of which will be of-sufficient diameter to permit theelevator to pass over the head 29. The ring or. casing member 1 isprovided with outstanding trunnions 32 and 33 aligningwith complementarylugs 34 and 35, the latter having recesses or seats 36 and 37 to receivepins 38 and 39 which may be introduced into the seats by first insertingthem into the recesses 10 and 41 and then dropping them into therecesses 36 and 37. Therefore, it will be seen that the pins 38 and 39are removable so that suspension linkti=A2 and 43 may be slipped overthe trun- ,nions and held in place, the links being so arranged thatthey may be suspended from' a hook or other suspending device 44. v I

When the parts are assembled and it is desired to attach the elevator toa section of well casing, the drift pin 8 may be tapped with a hammer sothat its face .8- will slide against the face 7" of the latch or pawl 7to raise it out of engagement with the teeth 7 Then the lever Scan beraisel to a horizontal position or nearly so to swing the ring 3 aboutits axis so .as to spread the jaws to allow the elevator'to slip overthe head 29. Then the lever 5 will be swung in an opposite direction tocause the ring 3 to move into jaw-actuatingposition so that the tooth 7on the pawl orlatch 7 will engage an appropriate tooth 7" in the housing1, it being understood that the ring 3" will cause the jaws 12, 13 and14 to impinge against or bite into the'outer surface of the well casingto provide an efficient grip so that the casing may be lowered into the.well or elevated, as

may be expedient. When the ring 3 is in jaw-actuating or clampingpositiomthe pawl may engage the teeth 7 or if the tooth'7 is not betweenthe teeth 7 the operator maytap the upper end slightly with a hammere sothat it will drop into tooth-engaging position. i

From the foregoing description and in connection with the accompanyingdrawings,

it will be apparent that when the ring '3 is rotated in one direction,the cam' flanges 20, 21 and 22 will move the jaws 12, 13 and 14 intoextended position and when the ring 3 is moved in an opposite direction,the jaws will be moved into gripping position; When the casing has beenraised out of the well, the elevator can be removed by imparting arotative movement to the ring 3 so as to move the jawsto their extendedpositions away from the casing and, thereby permit the elevator to beslipped over the head 29.

It will be apparent, therefore, that the device is simple inconstruction, eflicient and easily'applied. '1. 7

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters-Patent is:

1. A casing elevator comprising a housing, I

radial jaws within the housing, a ring for actuating said jawsiii-radial directions, a. lug on the ring, -a vertically sliding pawl inthe lug having a tooth for engaging a part of the housing,'and. a driftpin projecting through the end of the lug and having a cam face tocontact with the pawl to raise it out of housing-engaging position.

2. A casing elevator comprising a housing, radially movable,casing-engaging jaws in the housing, a ring for actuating them, a

lug on the ring and operable in a slot in the housing, a verticallymovable pawl having a tooth for engaging the housing to hold the ring infixed position, and a longitudinally movable device having movement inone direction to raise the pawl out of functional position and movablein the opposite direction to allow the pawl to :moveinto functionalposition.

3. A casing elevator comprising a housing, sliding jaws within thehousing, a jaw actnating element, a lug on the element, a sliding pawlin thelug having a tooth for engaginga part of the housing and a driftpin project+ 'ing through the lug and having a cam face to contactwiththe pawl to ralse it out of housing engaging position.

i as 4 A casing elevator comprising a housing, radially movable jaws inthe housing, a rotatable member for actuating them, a lug on the member,a vertically movable pawl for engaging the housing to hold the member infixed position and a device having movement in one direction to raisethe pawl out of the functional position and movable in the oppositedirection to allow the pawl to move into functional position.

- In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

GEORGE KRELL.

